Method and apparatus for maintaining adjacent railway cars on a level plane



July 19, 1938. SC'HOEPF Er AL 2,124,124

H. METHOD .AND APPARATUS FOR MAINTAINING ADJACENT RAILWAY CARS ON A LEVEL PLANE Filed Jan. 16, 1935 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 PRESSURE SWITCH- INVENTORS 7/15017026 1/. JCHOEPF.

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ATTORNEYS.

2 Sheets-Sheet 2 ADJACENT EVEL PLANE Filed Jah. 16, 1935 APPARATUS FOR MAINTAINING RAILWAY CARS ON A L July '19, 1938. I T. H. SCHOEPF ET AL METHOD AND INVENTORS 1 771502025 H. Jc/IOEPF .Dfly p 2176/1/52 ATTORNEYS Patented July 19, 1938 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE ING ADJACENT LEVEL PLANE RAILWAY CABS ON A Theodore H. Schoepf and David M. Ritchie, Cincinnati, Ohio, assignors to The Cincinnati Traction Building Company, Cincinnati, Ohio, a

corporation of Ohio Application January 16, 1935, Serial No. 2,074

20 Claims.

This invention relates to a means and method of maintaining the equilibrium of railway cars. It is the object of this invention to provide a pendulum control for controlling the application 6 of hydraulic pressure to the side bearings of railway cars in order to resist the rocking of the cars and to bring the cars back with their floors in a horizontal plane, in order to minimize rocking and swaying.

It is'the object of this invention to provide especially for interconnecting the hydraulic system applied to the side bearings of the same car or adjacent cars to maintain the platform of the car or the platforms of adjacent cars in a horil5 zontal plane, or to maintain the platforms of adjacent cars in the same plane. This latter feature is particularly advantageous in connection with cars that are articulated on a. common truck and having a common passageway associated 20 with a common truck and platforms of the adjacent cars.

It is the object to provide an interconnected hydraulic system associated with the respective side bearings so that hydraulic pressure can be 25 applied to resist the downward movement of a car body on one side and simultaneously to apply hydraulic pressure to push the body down on the other side.

It is the object to provide means for quickly reversing this action, and means of determining the degree of pressure that will be applied in response to the degree of rolling and rocking that takes place in the car.

It is a further object to provide a means and method of returning the car quickly from a position of .extreme rocking, as well as resist the movement of the car into such an extreme position. Thus this invention not only serves to prevent extrenie rocking but is adapted to correct the rock- 19 ing that takes places so quickly that it cannot be prevented.

It is a special object of this invention to provide a pendulum control of electric circuits which, in turn, control hydraulic valves and which also control the application of the hydraulicpressure through electrical means. Referring to the drawings: I Figure 1 is a diagrammatic view of one end of one car showing the hydraulic and electrical control system.

Figure 2 is a modified form of electrical and hydraulic control shown diagrammatically.

Figure 3 is a detail view of a modified form of the pendulum control.

, Figure 4 is a plan view'of, two adjacent carswith cross-over hydraulic controls. This view is shown in connection with an articulated car, but the same principle is applicable to other types of adjacent cars.

Figure 5 is a modification of that portion of the circuit of Figure 2 including the field discharge resistance, showing the substitution of a capacitor.

, Referring to the drawings in detail, and particularly to Figure l, the numeral I is a car body suitably supported upon a truck or trucks. This body is provided with side thrust bearings 2 provided with a connecting rod or piston rod 6 which extends into a cylinder 3 and is connected with a piston comprising a head 4 or a head 5. The side bearings 2 are mounted on the under side of the body remote from and at opposite sides of the center thereof, and the cylinders 3 are mounted upon the truck. This truck is generally designated 1. Any form of truck may be employed.

' The body may be mounted upon the center bearing of the truck in the usual manner, or it may employ a trunnion in an articulated car, such as the trunnion designated 8. This trunnion is mounted in a trunnion socket or hearing plate 9-, suitably mounted upon the truck I in any desired manner. The details of this mounting are not important.

Returning to the side bearings and the hydraulic control therefor, when fluid pressure is applied through the pipe ID to the cylinders 3, the piston head 4 and its connecting rod 6 ascend in the right hand cylinder (Fig. 1) while the piston head 5 and its connecting rod 6 descend in the left hand cylinder; when pressure is applied through pipe H, the head I and its connecting rod 6 descend and thehead 5 and its connecting rod 6 ascend in their respective cylinders 3. In

other words, the application of pressure through the pipe II will either resist the downward movement of the side bearing member 2 or elevateit, while pressure through the pipe I 0 will permit the side bearing member to descend by drawing the piston head I with the side bearing member 2 downwardly. The exact details of this construction are not'important so long as the principle involved is employed of alternately applying pressure to resist the side bearing downward movement or to elevate the side bearing, and of applyingpressure to remove that resistance or to cause the side bearing member to descend.

The pipe III on the right side is connected to the lower side of a cylinder 3 and on the left side to the upper side of a cylinder 3 while the pipe Ii is connected on the right side to the upper side of a cylinder 3 and to the lower side of a cylinder- 3 on the other side so that when the thrust on one side is upward, it is downward on the; opposite stem 22 connects the valve 29 to the valve member 23, which controls the port I8.

The pipe l3 communicates with the chamber i l in the hydraulic control valve l5a. which is similar to the hydraulic control valve l5, and which operates in the same manner. The chamber M of the valve l5a corresponds to the chamber Id of the valve l5 and the other correspondingly numbered parts of the valve l5a likewise correspond to similarly numbered parts of the valve I5.

A controlling member, consisting of a stem E i and solenoid core member 25, operates in the upper chamber 26 of the valve I5 and also in the valve [5a. The lower chamber 21 of each valve communicates with the pressure side of the pump through the common connection comprising pipe 28. The chamber 26 of each valve communicates with the suction side of the pump through the common connection comprising pipe 29. The pump 30 suppplies pressure to the pressure tank 3! and to the line 28. It is controlled, in its operation, through the hydraulic pressure switch- 32, in order to maintain an even pressure. This switch is adapted, upon the production of predetermined pressure, to shut ofi the electrical motor which drives the pump, and upon decrease of the pressure to connect the pump motor to an electrical circuit so that the pump is driven. The pump 30 draws its supply from the discharge tank 33, which communicates with the pump 30 by means of the line 34. The discharge tank 33 is also connected to the suction line 29.

The valve system of Figure 1 operates as follows: Supported upon the center line of the car at a point adjacent the center of gravity, is a pivoted pendulum 35. The weight 36 is adapted to act as a contact member for engaging the right or left-hand contacts 31 and 38. The pendulum is connected by the wire 39 to a source of current 40. This source of current 4ll which may be an electric battery or some other similar agency, is connected on its other side through the wire 4i, through the solenoid coil 43 and wire 42 to the contact 31. It isalso connected through the wire 4|, wire 44, solenoid coil 45 and line 46 to the contact 38. Thus, upon making the contact between 36 and 31 or 36 and 38 one of the valve stems 25 will be actuated to depress the valves 23 and 20 to permit the pressure from. 28' to pass through the port I 9, chamber l4 into the pipe l2 or l3, as the case may be. If the right-hand valve is actuated then the pressure is delivered through the pipe l2, and if the left-hand valve is actuated then the pressure is delivered through the pipe I3; when the pressure is so delivered it serves to check the tilting of the car in the direction of movement of the pendulum 35, and it serves to restore that side of the car to its normal position. To cooperate in this there is a downward pressure applied on the other side of the car to restore the car floor to its normal horizontal position.

Referring to Figure 2, in the construction shown in this figure it is possible to adjust the pressure applied hydraulically, according to the degree of swing or roll of the car. The pendulum 35 has the same contact weight 38. It is adapted to engage with the contacts 31 and 38, which control the opening. of the hydraulic control valves 41 and-48. The contact 31 is connected by the wire 62 to the solenoid coil 43 surrounding the core 49, which constitutes the valve stem connected to the valve 50 in the valve casing 41. This valve member 50 controls the port 5| in the partition 52in 41. The opening of this port permits the flow of fluid through the valve 41. The coil 43 is connected at 53 to the line 54, which in turn, is connected to-one side of the battery 40. The other side of the battery is connected by the line 39 to the pendulum 35. The solenoid core d9 also carries the switch blades 55 and 56. The function of these switches 55 and 56 will be described later.

Whenthe contact member 36 of the pendulum 35 engages the contact 38 it brings into operation the line 46, the solenoid coil 65 and the line 44, whichis connected at 53 to the line 54 that is connected to one side of the battery 40. The other side of the battery is connected in circuit through the line 39- and contact weight 36. The solenoid core and valve stem 51 carries the valve member 53, .which controls the port 59 in the partition 60 of the valve 48.

The valves 41 and 48 are thus able to control the application of hydraulic pressure from the hydraulic pressure source, designated 30. For instance, when the weight and contactmember 36 moves to the right-hand, due to the tilting of the car to the right-hand, then the valve 50 is opened and fluid passes from the right-hand side of the fluid source 30, through the pipe Bl, through the port 5i into the pipe 52 to the pipe 63, which serves to force the side bearing at the right-hand side upwardly or resist its downward movement. Simultaneously pressure is exerted through pipe 64 on the side bearing on the lefthand side to resist the rocking movement of the car to the right and with a view to returning the car tov its vertical position.

In the event the car rocks to the left-hand side then the valve 58 will be opened and the pressure will make its exit from the left-hand side of 30, through the port 59, having. traveled through the pipe 65, and make its exit through the pipe 66 to the pipe 61, where it will serve to either resist or elevate the left-hand. side of, the car and simultaneously the pressure will pass into the pipe 68 on the right-hand side, with a view to depressing that side of the car or resisting the elevation thereof.

The source of fluid pressure 30, shown in Figure 2, consists of a cylinder having springs 69 and 10 on opposite sides of the piston 1|, which is actuated by the piston rod 12, which in turn, is actuated in either direction by the motor 13. This motor is provided with commutator brushes 14 and 15. Brush 14 is connected by the line 16 to the terminal 11. Brush 15 is connected by the line 18 to theterminal 19. The switch plate connects the terminal 11 to the terminal 8| in the line 82. The terminal 83 in this line is connected by =the switch blade 84, the terminal 85 connected into the line 86, which in turn, is connected to the battery 40.

Switch blade 81 connects terminal 19 to terminal 88,"line 89, line to solenoid coil 9i surroundingthe core 92, which operatesthe switch 84. This coil is connected by line 93 to motor speed contact plate 84, and also by wire 85 to the left-hand motor speed contact plate 86. Wire 81 is also connected to line 88 and to the solenoid coil 88, which operates the core 88 that in turn operates the switches 80 and 81. The coil 88 is connected by wire I to the right-hand motor speed contact plate IN and to the left-hand plate I02. Line 81 is connected to the wire 54, which in turn, is connected to the battery 40.

Returning to the lines 82 and 86, .it will be noted that these two lines are connected together by the line I03 having a resistance I04. The purpose of the switch 84 is to cut out this resistance. The battery 40 is also connected to the line I05, which is connected to the line I06 having terminals I01 and I08.

The other side of the battery is connected by line 109 to the line IIO having terminals II I and H2. Switch blade 56 is adapted to connect terminal II2 with terminal II3. Terminal H3 is connected by the line I I4 to one side of the motor field II5,'the other side of which is connectedby the line II6 to the terminal II1, which is connected by switch blade 55 to the. terminal I01. Switch blade 56 also connects terminal II8, which is connected by line II4 to terminal II 9, which is connected by line I20 to resistance I2I to the terminal I22.

The'terminal I22 is connected by the switch plate to the terminal I24 and thence to line I 25, back to line II6. When the switch blade I23 engages terminal III it connects it to terminal I26 and wire I25, thus cutting out resistance I2I. When the switch blade I21 engages contact I08 it connects it to contact I28 and then by wire I29 to wire II4. I2I is a field discharge resistance to prevent a .sudden and extreme rise of voltage when the field coil H is suddenly opened. Fig. 5 shows the substitution of a capacitor I2 Ia for the field discharge resistance I2.

The operation of the-apparatus shown in Fig' 'ure 2 is as follows: When the car sways to bring the pendulum to one side of its vertical position, as in the case when the car tilts to the righthand side, the weightcontact member 36 en gages the contact 81, which servesthe purpose to open the valve 50, as heretofore described. The energization of the circuit, including the contact 81, results in bridging the contacts I I2 and H3 by the switch 56. This brings the field I I5 in circuit because the switch 55 also bridges the contacts I01 and H1. Therefore, field H5 is always in circuit, whether," is in engagement with contactIOI or 84.

when 88 enga es I 8I- it energizes the armature circuit through the solenoid 88, causing switch plate 88 to bridge terminals 11 and 8|, and switch plate 81 to bridge terminals 18 and 88. During this period the resistance I04 is in circuit. The motor operating the pump 80 begins to move to force the fluid through the piping system to correct the tilt of the body. If the tilt is very severe the contact pendulum 36 will move over the contact 84, energizing the solenoid SI and closing switch 84, across the terminals 83 and 85, cutting the resistance I04 out of circuit and bringing about a higher speed of the motor armature 13, thereby delivering a higher hydraulic pressure to meet the greater roll.

I1 the pendulum swings to the left-hand it engages the contact 38, energizing solenoid 45, lifting valve 58 and closing the switch blade I23 across terminals I26 and III, and also bring the switch blade I21 into engagement with terminals I08 and I28, thereby energizing the motor field II5. It also results in energizing solenoid 88 with the same result as heretofore described. If the swing is more severe the contact pendulum weight 36 will engage with the contact 86 and energize the solenoid 8|, with the result heretofore described.

When the solenoid 43 is energized, the motor 13 is polarized for operation in one direction while the polarity thereof is reversed for operation in the opposite direction when solenoid 45 is energized.

When the weight contact member 36 engages the contact 31, the bridging of the contacts H2 and H3 by switch plate 56 and the bridging of contacts I 01 and II1 due to energization of solenoid 43 completes the following circuit: 40, I08, H0, H2, 56, H3, H4, H5, H6, H1, 55, I01, I05, and back to 40.

When, however, the weight contact member 36 engages the contact 38, the bridging of contacts III and I26 by switch plate I23 and the bridging of contacts I08 and I28 by switch plate I21 completes the following circuit: 40, I08, IIO, III,I23, I26, I25, H6, H5, I29, I28, I21, I08, I06, I05, and back to 40; in this case, the pole of the motor 13 which was positive during engagement of the member 36 with the contact 31 has become negative; the pole which was formerly negative has become positive.

Referring to Figure 3, there is provided a tilting pendulum arm pivoted at I30. The arm so pivoted is designated I 3I. On one end of the arm is carried a dash pot plunger I32, and on the other end a dash pot plunger I33. These plungers work in a' U-shaped dash pot I34, containing the fluid I35. The movement of the fluid as the car tilts actuates the dash pot plungers I32 and I33, causes a movement of the arm I3I to bring into circuit the contacts 31 and I M 84, 38, I02 and 96, as heretofore described.

It will be noted from Figure 4 of the drawings that the piping system can be connected either to thrust side bearings on opposite sides of the same car, or on bearings on diflferent cars, as in the case when it is desired to preserve the -floor alignment of the two cars that are adjacent one another, either for the purpose of maintaining the two cars against movement of their floors out of a horizontal plane, or for the purpose of keeping the two cars so their platforms will move together and be returned to the same horizontal plane with respect to one another, irrespective of the tilt of both bodies with respect to a horizontal position. I

As shown in Figure 4, the adjacent cars No.

1 and No. 2 which are articulated upon and supported by a common truck (not shown) are each equipped with connections at each side, which connections comprise cylinders 3 mounted onthe common truck with heads or pistons 4 and 5 provided with connecting rods or piston rods 6 which are connected to side bearings at opposite sides of the respective cars, asin Figures 1 and 2.

Each of the cars No. 1 and No. 2 is provided with a pump 30 connected by pipe 6I through valve 41 to pipe 62 and connected by pipe 65 through valve 48 to pipe 66. The pumps 30 and their controls and connections are identical with the pump 30 and its controls and connections described above and illustrated in Figure 2; the valves 41 and 48 and their controls and connections are likewise identical with the valves 41 and 48 and their controls and connections, as described above and illustrated in Figure 2.

The pipe 62 of car No. 1 is connected by pipe 64 to the upper end of the lefthand cylinder 3 of car No. 1 and by pipe 63 to the lower end of the righthand cylinder 8 of car No, 2; application of pressure through the pipe 62 of car No. 1, therefore, causes simultaneous exertion of force downwardly on the left side of car No; 1 and upwardly on the right side of car No. 2. The pipe 66 of car No. 1 is connected by pipe 6'! to the lower side of the lefthand cylinder 3 of car No. 1 and by pipe 68 to the upper side of the righthand cylinder of car No. 2; application of pressure through pipe 66 of car No. 1 causes simultaneous exertion of upward force at the left side of car No. 1 and downward force at the right side of car No. 2.

No. 1;.application of pressure through the pipe 62 of car No. 2 causes simultaneous exertion of downward force at the left side of car No. 2 and upward force at the right side of car No. 1. The

pipe 66 of car No. 2 is connected by pipe 81 to the lower side of the lefthand cylinder 3 of car No. 2 and by pipe 68 to the upper side of the righthand cylinder 3 of car No. 1; application of pressure through pipe 66 of car No. 2 causes s1- multaneous exertion of pressure upwardly at the left side of car No. 2 and downwardly at the right side of car No. 1.

It will thus be seen that, through pump 38 of car No. 1, pressure is exerted simultaneously in opposite directions at the left side of car No. 1 and the right side of car No. 2. Likewise, force is exerted b ythe pump 30 of car No. 2 simultaneously at the left side of car No. 2 and the right side of car No. 1 and in opposite directions.

Due to the duplication of the pendulum control mechanism of Figure 2 for the pumps 30 and valves 41 and 48 for each of cars No. 1 and No. 2, tilting of one car in one direction will cause an opposing force to be applied to that car at one side and also to the adjacent car at the opposite side. If both cars are tilted, the opposing force is applied at opposite sides of each car, because both pumps 30 will be made operative to produce such force. When, upon tilting of both cars, pressure is applied through pipe 62 of car No. 1 to produce downward-force at the left of car No. 1 and upward force at the right of car No. 2, pressure is also applied through pipe 62 to produce downward force at the left of car No. 2 and upward force at the right of car No. 1.

Likewise, upon tilting of both cars, when pressure is applied through pipe 68 of car 1, pressure is applied also through pipe 66 of car No. 2 and upward pressure is applied at the left side of both cars, and downward pressure is applied at the right side of both cars. When pressure is applied through a pipe 62, suction is applied through the corresponding pipe 66 and vice versa, as described above.

It will be understood that it is desired to comprehend within'this invention such modifications as come within the scope of the claims and the invention.

Having thus fully described the invention, what is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent, is:

1. In combination, a rail truck, a car body having laterally spaced side bearing means, and pivotally secured to said truck at a point therebetween for tilting movement about a fixed horizontal axis, oppositely acting hydraulic means associated with the respective side bearing means for pressing the body downwardly or upwardly adjacent thereto, and means responsive to the tilt of said body for controlling said hydraulic means whereby hydraulic pressure can be applied simultaneously for resisting the downward movement of the body on one side and the upward movement of the body on the other side.

2. In combination, a rail truck, a car body having spaced side bearing means and pivotally secured to said truck at a point therebetween for tilting movement about a fixed horizontal axis, hydraulic means adjacent said side bearing means and associated therewith for pressing the body downwardly or upwardly, whereby hydraulic pressure can be applied simultaneously for resisting the downward movement of the body on one side and the upward movement of the body on the other side, and means controlled by the tilting of the body for determining whether the hydraulic thrust on one side or'the other will be up or down, wher by there is a coordinated thrust upwardly upo the low side of the body and downwardly on the\high side of the body.

3. In combination, a rail truck, a car bodyhaving spaced side bearing means and pivotally secured to said truck at a point therebetween for tilting movement about a fixed horizontal axis, hydraulic means adjacent said side bearing means and associated therewith for pressing the body downwardly or upwardly, whereby hydraulic pressure can be applied simultaneously for resisting the downward movement of the body on one side and the upward movement of the body on the other side, means controlled by the tilting of the body for determining whether the hydraulic thrust on one side or the other will be up or down, whereby there'is a coordinated thrust upwardly upon the low side of the body and downwardly on the high side of the body, and means for supplying pressure to said hydraulic means.

4. In combination, a rail truck, a car body having spaced side bearing means and pivotally secured at a point therebetween to said truck for tilting movement about a fixed horizontal axis, hydraulic means adjacent said side bearing means and associated therewith for pressing the body downwardly or upwardly, whereby hydraulic pressure can be applied simultaneously for resisting the downward movement of the body on one side and upward movement of the body on the other side, tilt responsive means controlled by the tilting of the body for determining whether the hydraulic thrust on one side or the other will be up or down, whereby there is a coordinated thrust upwardly upon the low side of the body and downwardly on the high side of the body, and means for supplying pressure to said hydraulic means, said tilt responsive means comprising a pendulum pivoted on said body and valve means controlled thereby for directing the hydraulic pressure in order to correct the tilt of the body.

5. In combination, a rail truck, a car body having spaced side bearing means and pivotally secured to said truck at a point therebetween for tilt responsive means controlled by the tilting of the body for determining whether the hydraulic thrust on one side or the other will be up or down, whereby there is a coordinated thrust upwardly upon the low side of the body and downwardly on the high side of the body, means for supplying pressure to said hydraulic means, said tilt responsive means comprising a contact pendulum pivoted on said body and valve means controlled thereby for directing the hydraulic pressure in order to correct the tilt of the body, and electrically actuated means for actuating said valve means adapted to be brought in circuit by the movement of the pendulum.

6. In combination, a rail truck, a car body having spaced side bearing means and pivotally secured to said truck at a point therebetween for movement about a fixed axis, hydraulic means supported by said truck and associated with said side bearing means for pressing the body downwardly or upwardly adjacent thereto, whereby hydraulic pressure can be applied simultaneously for resisting the downward movement of the body on one side and upward movement of the body on the other side, tilt responsive means controlled by the tilting of the body for determining whether the hydraulic thrust on'one side or the other will be up or down, whereby there is a coordinated thrust upwardly upon the low side of the body and downwardly on the high side of the body, means for supplying pressure to said hydraulic means, said tilt responsive means comprising a contact pendulum pivoted on said body and valve means controlled thereby for directing -the hydraulic pressure in order to correct the tilt of the body, electrically actuated means for actuating said valve means adapted to be brought in circuit by the movement of the pendulum, and a supplementary power source for energizing the electrical means so brought into circuit.

7. In combination, a rail truck, a tilting car body pivotally connected to said truck, hydraulically operated thrust means for thrusting upwardly and downwardly on said body on pposite sides of said pivotal connection, means to supply fluid pressure to said hydraulic means, hydraulic valve means for determining the direction of application of the pressure, a pendulum pivoted on the body, an electrical means controlled by and adapted to be brought into cir cuit with said pendulum for operating the electrical means to operate the valve means determining the course of the hydraulic pressure.

8. In combination, a tilting car body, hydrauli- I cally operated thrust means for thrusting upwardly and downwardly on said body on opposite sides thereof, means to supply fluid pressure to said hydraulic means to cause simultaneous operation of the hydraulic means in opposite directions, hydraulic valve means for determining the direction of application of the pressure, a pendulum pivoted on the body, an electrical means controlled by and adapted to be brought into circuit with said pendulum for operating the electrical means to operate the valve means determining the course of the hydraulic pressure, and supplementary electrical means controlled by said pendulum for controlling the total pressure on the hydraulic circuit according to the degree of tilt of the body.

9. In combination, a truck, a body mounted on said truck for tiltable movement about a horizontal axis, and extensible hydraulic connections between said body and said truck at opposite sides of said axis, each of said connections comprising a cylinder having therein a piston rigidly connected to a piston rod, each of said cylinders having hydraulic cross connection from the top thereof to the bottom of the other cylinder, and means to simultaneously apply pressure to one of said cross connections and suction to the other of said cross connections to simultaneously extend one hydraulic connection while contracting the other hydraulic connection.'

10. In a control means for correcting the tilt of a car, a fluid tube, float members floating in the arms of said tube, 'a pivotal contact shaft connected to said float members and pivoted therebetween, and electrical contacts selectively engaged by said contact shaft according to the degree of tilt reflected in said fluid tube.

11. In combination, a rail truck, a car body, means on said truck to pivotally support said car body to permit it to rock, side thrust means, hydraulic means on said truck operating downwardly and upwardly upon said side thrust means to resist and correct the tilt of the body, a hydraulic pump connected thereto, hydraulic valves for selecting the directi n of the fluid so pumped, and electrical means to controlling said pump and selecting the direction of movement of the v hydraulic pressure.

12. In combination, a car body, means to pivotally support said car body to permit it to rock, side thrust means, hydraulic means operatingdownwardly and upwardly upon said side thrust means to resist and correct the tilt of the body, a hydraulic pump connected thereto, hydraulic valves for selecting the direction of the fluid so pumped, electrical means for controlling said pump and selecting the direction of movement of the hydraulic pressure, and electrical means for controlling the rate of said pump.

13. In an articulated car construction, a truck, adjacent car bodies having common articulation with said truck, side thrust bearings for said respective cars associated with said truck, hydraulic means for operating on said car bodies in association with the side bearings for simultaneously moving one portion of one body downwardly and another portion of another body upwardly with respect to said truck.

14. In an articulated carconstruction, a common truck, a pair of car bodies having their adiacent ends articulated for free lateral movement on said truck, hydraulic thrust means disposed on said truck and connected to each sideof each of said bodies and adapted to thrust upwardly on one side and downwardly on the other side of each of said bodies, means to supply fluid to said hydraulic thrust means, and means to synchronize said thrust means connected to the respective car bodies so as to maintain the car bodies in substantially the same plane.

15. In an articulated car construction, a truck, a pair of car bodies articulated for free movement on said truck, hydraulic means connected to said truck and to each side of each of said bodies and adapted to thrust upwardly on one side and downwardly on the other side of each of said bodies, means to supply fluid to said hydraulic thrust means, and means to synchronize said thrust Y means connected to the respective car bodies so as to maintain the car bodies in substantially the same plane, said means being so arranged that the hydraulic thrust means will thrust downwardly on an upwardly moving side of one body and upwardly on the opposite side of the other body.

16. In a system of maintaining the'bodies of a plurality of connected cars having trucks in a predetermined relationship, hydraulic thrust means oppositely disposed with respect to the center line of each of said cars near the adjacent ends thereof, said hydraulic means being interposed between the trucks and the car bodies,

means to pivotally support'the car bodies on their trucks, and means interconnecting the hydraulic thrust means of adjacent cars whereby they operate in synchronism to maintain their car bodies in a predetermined relationship.

17. In a system of maintaining the bodies of a plurality of connected cars having common trucks in a predetermined relationship, hydraulic thrust means oppositely disposed on either side of the center line of each of said cars near the adjacent ends thereof, said hydraulic thrust means being interposed between the common truck and the bodies of adjacent cars, means to pivotally support the adjacent ends of the car bodies on the common truck, and means interconnecting said hydraulic thrust means of ad- Jacent car bodies whereby they operate in synchronism to maintain said car bodies in a predetermined relationship, said means being so arranged that the pipe conveying hydraulic pressure to the top of the hydraulic thrust means on one side of one body is connected to the bottom of the hydraulic thrust means on the opposite side of the other body.

18. In a system of maintaining the bodies of adjacent cars having a common truck in a predetermined relationship, hydraulic thrust means disposed at opposite sides of the center line of ,thrust means whereby they operate in synchronism to maintain said adjacent car bodies in a predetermined relationship, said means being so arranged that a pipe conveying hydraulic pressure to the top of the cylinder of the hydraulic thrust means on one side of one body is connected to the bottom of the cylinder of the hydraulic thrust means on the opposite side of the other body, and a common means responsive to the tilt of at least one of said bodies for applying hydraulic pressure to correct said tilt.

19. In a system of maintaining the bodies of adjacent cars having a common truck in a predetermined relationship, hydraulic thrust means disposed on opposite sides of the center line of each of said cars near the adjacent ends thereof, said hydraulic thrust means comprising cylinders each having therein an oppositely acting piston with a rigid connecting rod and being interposed between the common truck and the car bodies, means to pivotally support the carbodies on the truck, means interconnecting the cylinders of said hydraulic thrust means whereby they operate in synchronism to maintain said car bodies in a predetermined relationship; said means being so arranged that a pipe conveying hydraulic pressure to the top of the cylinder of the hy draulic thrust means on one side of one body is connected to the bottom of the cylinder of the.

hydraulic thrust means on the opposite side of the other body to cause simultaneous application of force in opposite directions by said last-named hydraulic thrust means, a common means re-,

sponsive to the tilt of at least one of said bodies for applying hydraulic pressure to correct said tilt, and means also responsive to the tilt of at least one of said bodies for controlling the degree of pressure of said hydraulic means in order to adjust it to the extent of the tilt.

20. In a method of maintaining two railway car bodies articulated on a common truck in substantial alignment against tilting, applying hydraulic pressure on one body downwardly from said truck as the body moves upwardlyand upwardly from said truck on the opposite side of the other body as it moves downwardly.

THEODORE H. SCHOEPF. DAVID M. RITCHIE. 

